A Change in Plans
by McGeeklover
Summary: A two-shot tag to 'Detour' episode. What if things had gone a little differently? 'A sudden gunshot rang out and a burning, white hot pain spread throughout his abdomen. Looking down with a gasping breath, he noticed a blood stain growing on his side. "Timothy!"'
1. Chapter 1

**A Change in Plans**

**So this is a two-shot based on the episode 'Detour.' There's a lot of dialogue from the episode so some parts will seem similar. I just put my ideas and the episode together cooked it up. It's very long and I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own NCIS**

"Tony, why does it matter to you so much?"

"Why does it matter? How come I was never getting hooked up with concert tickets?"

McGee remained silent; he couldn't believe Tony was pissed about not getting concert tickets and right now he was afraid of what the guy might do to him. He thought back to when he and Ziva found out about the book; Tony was the worst out of them all. He would keep bringing it up and it just made him feel guiltier and more put down than ever. It was like the book all over again.

"I hope you're ready for the car ride of your life, McMusic 'cause Gibbs left to go to the local police station and I'm driving…with you in the back." With that Tony turned away with an evil grin and headed for the car.

Tim gulped and took a deep breath. The last time he drove in a car with an angry DiNozzo, his neck was stiff for a week. Tony hadn't exactly driven, but he encouraged Ziva to drive _and_ forced him to sit in the back. He was not letting that happen again.

"Hey Jimmy," he said as he jogged up to the ME assistant. "Can I ride with you guys?"

Palmer looked up at McGee after helping Ducky push the body into truck and then to a receding DiNozzo with a grimace. "He still mad?"

"Yep."

"I'm sorry, McGee; I never should've said anything I-"

"It's not your fault, Jimmy he was blackmailing you," Tim smirked.

Chuckling, Jimmy nodded. "Sure…you don't mind riding in the back, though, do you?"

"Neither DiNozzo or Ziva are driving, so there's no harm."

With that, Tim looked back at DiNozzo who had a scowl on his face saying 'you're not off the hook.' And Tim knew he wasn't; as soon as he got back to NCIS, Tony was gonna start hassling him again. Sighing, he got into the back of the ME van before Jimmy shut the doors; he was safe…for now. During the whole ride, Tim listened to Jimmy and Ducky talk; it was calming actually. He was exhausted and he rested his head back against the wall of the van, closing his eyes and drifting off from the world. He barely had time to fully fall asleep before he heard a loud pop followed by the truck swerving off the road. His eyes snapped open and his hand flew to his gun on instinct. To a regular person it might sound like a busted tire- and it probably was- but it sounded more like something else…like a gunshot.

"Ducky?"

"It's alright, lad," Ducky said as the car slowed to a stop. "Just a flat tire I presume."

McGee bit the inside of his cheek, having a gut feeling that it was more than just a flat-tire. He kept his hand on the gun as he opened the back doors and hopped out. Ducky turned off the engine and both he and Jimmy got out as well.

"Yep, we got a flat," Jimmy sighed heavily.

McGee squinted his eyes in suspicion; something wasn't right.

"Well, I suggest we fix it so we can get back on the road. We're already as late as it is."

Within the next few minutes, Jimmy was screwing a new tire in while Ducky and Tim were inspecting the flat tire.

"Hinky."

"Why do you say that, my dear boy?"

"I don't know…something just doesn't feel right."

"I'm guessing a little bit of Gibbs rubbed off on you."

Tim chuckled lightly as he stood up and looked up and down the road. It was completely empty, the air quiet and cool. It'd be nice if they weren't in this situation.

"Hmm, what's this?"

Tim turned around and saw Jimmy handing Ducky some tweezers and the older man pulling something out of a tire.

"Looks like…a bullet fragment."

He knew it…he knew it was a gunshot. And before he could do anything else, I car came up and pulled over behind them. His hand went for his gun, waiting to see if these people were a threat. Two people got out of the car; one was a woman- who looked like she was the one in charge- and the other was a burly looking Caucasian man who looked like he meant business…and he had a gun. The woman walked past him and towards the van.

"NCIS, drop your weapon!" He shouted, pointing his gun at the man.

The guy seemed to look past him at the woman for a confirmation and out of the corner of his eye he saw her nod. Before he could register what they were thinking on doing, the guy spoke up.

"Why don't you drop yours?" A sudden gunshot rang out and a burning, white hot pain spread throughout his abdomen. Looking down with a gasping breath, he noticed a blood stain growing on his side.

"Timothy!"

His legs weakened and the grip on his gun slackened. Stumbling back, he felt strong hands grasp him underneath his arms and lower him to the ground. His vision blurred for a few seconds and his stomach rolled as the extent on the pain had actually hit him. He had been shot!

"What do you want?" Ducky growled, as he positioned McGee into a more comfortable position. The lad had been shot in the side, extremely close to the lower lung area; but Tim wasn't wheezing- not yet anyways- so he figured it was a good sign.

The woman glanced at him before gesturing to the man. "Marcus, if either one of them move, you know what to do."

The gun was raised into Tim's face and the older man squeezed McGee's arm comfortingly. He wasn't about to let this young man die and Gibbs would definitely not allow it. Tim's head rolled to the right and they all watched as the woman climbed into the back of the vehicle and unzipped the body bag. _What the hell did she want?_ For a few moments it was quiet- except for Tim's heavy breathing- and they waited for the next move. Tim swallowed thickly, already starting to feel drained; even though he didn't want to give up and leave Ducky and Jimmy alone, he wanted nothing more than to give in to the darkness.

"It's not here," the woman's voice spoke as she emerged into view.

"You didn't think it would be, did you Anna?" the man, apparently named Marcus, replied, the gun still trained on McGee.

"No." Anna closed the doors with a heavy sigh. "So plan B it is."

Fear surged up in all three of the NCIS workers. Whatever plan B was it didn't sound inviting. Tim knew the two wouldn't just be on their merry way and hope that everything would be forgotten. No, he knew the minds of criminals; once a witness sees you, they either kill you or take you hostage.

"May I ask who you are?" Ducky asked cautiously. "And what exactly is plan B?"

Marcus scowled down at them. "Plan B is drive."

Ducky glanced up at Jimmy before looking back down at McGee worriedly. He was afraid if the poor lad didn't get help soon, things wouldn't end too well. Tim was losing a lot of blood already; he just hoped Gibbs noticed that they weren't down in autopsy yet and that his famous gut would tell him something was gravely wrong.

~+NCIS+~

Gibbs entered the bullpen with an annoyed look on his face. Once again, the local police barely cooperated and he didn't get much until they clammed up. Apparently, they wanted to solve the case on their own…good luck with that.

"Boss, I found out that Roth was working on some type of material," Tony said as he jumped out of his chair

"What kind?"

"Well, u-uh…it's _classified_."

"Then _un_-classify it, DiNozzo."

"Boss, it's not that easy," Tony scoffed.

"Then get McGee to help you."

Tony remained silent and Gibbs looked for the younger agent, but the kid was nowhere to be seen. "Where is he?"

"He rode back with Ducky; too scared to face me like a man about the tickets."

Rolling his eyes, Gibbs immediately went down to autopsy. The ME had to be there by now and he was gonna kick McGee's ass for not coming up to the bullpen immediately. He wanted this case solved. Gibbs exited the elevator and entered autopsy, ready for answers.

"Duck, talk to me!"

But he was met with silence. The room was empty. He felt his gut churn at this; something was wrong and he knew it. Fear growing, he walked over to the office and swung open the door.

"Duck!" Nothing. They hadn't gotten back yet and every fiber of his being told him that it was a major cause for concern. If Palmer was driving, Ducky would at least call to let him know they might be lost…but if Ducky was driving, they would've been back by now. He sighed inwardly, scanning the room…he really hoped Palmer was driving and Ducky just forgot to call. He really hoped nothing bad had happened to them. Then again, McGee was with them and since his agent _also_ didn't call, he _knew_ something was hinky.

_Where the hell are those guys?_

~+NCIS+~

"How're you doing, Timothy?" Ducky asked quietly so that Marcus, who was sitting up front with Jimmy, didn't try to listen in on their conversation. He and Tim were sitting in the back of the van with the body and he was trying to staunch the bleeding with some gauze; it helped a little, but within a few moments, a third bandage was soaked along with most of Tim's shirt.

"I'm f-fine Ducky," Tim said with a weak smile. "Don't worry about me. I'm more worried about how we're gonna get out of this alive." _How am _I_ gonna get out of this alive?_

"Don't you worry, lad, I'm sure Jethro will find us." Ducky was skeptical about Tim saying he was 'fine,' because the man looked far from it. Already, McGee was pale with a thin layer of sweat coating his face. He looked a bit green around the gills and his breathing didn't sound too good either. And since he was a doctor, he knew that Tim was losing a lot of blood and in a matter of time shock would be setting in.

"I know." He had faith in Gibbs finding them. Question was would the man be too late? Well, even if he didn't make it he was gonna make sure Ducky and Jimmy got out of this alive; Gibbs would kill him if he let them get hurt. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling his energy start to wane.

"Eyes open, Timothy."

"I-I know, Ducky, I'm trying."

The ride suddenly started to get bumpy and there was no doubt that they were no longer on the public road. Ducky and Tim shared a wary look, but remained silent; wherever they were, it was probably going to be secluded in some type of wooded area. The car jerked to a stop and they listened as Jimmy and Marcus got out, footsteps crunching on the dry ground and then stopping outside the back doors. They swung open and Marcus glared at them, gun raised in their faces.

"Get out."

And apparently they weren't moving fast enough, because without warning, Tim was grabbed roughly by the arm and pulled out of the car, thrown onto the ground. He coughed weakly, groaning in pain and Ducky felt the anger build up inside him…he wanted so bad just to lash out at the man, but he knew it could just get them all killed. He hopped out of the car and helplessly watched as Marcus dragged Tim to his feet and shoved him towards a cabin. He met up with Jimmy and they both looked at each other worriedly. This was bad and things were probably about to get much, much worse. Tim was barely able to stay on his feet, stumbling with every step and every push from Marcus; he really wanted to pass out. Once they reached the little building, they were met with a black man, twice as big as Marcus. He opened the door and they all filed in before he followed, blocked the door and shut it. Great, there goes the exit. The room was spacious and normal looking had it not been for the large blood stain on the floor.

"Sorry about the mess; I'm sure you'll be more cooperative than our last visitors." Anna smiled forcefully.

Tim swallowed nervously as he was separated from the other NCIS workers and into a chair. Just as the black man grabbed some chains to tie Tim up, Ducky let his anger get the best of him.

"No."

"Excuse me?" Marcus said, brandishing the gun near Ducky's face.

The older man sighed nervously. "I mean, why must you tie him up, he won't be able to escape with that gunshot wound you gave him."

"Fine, but you want my men to put those guns down, then you and your other friend will…or we can wait for one of those 'accidents' to happen."

"I-I vote for the leg irons," Jimmy stuttered. Within minutes, the chains were tightly wrapped around their ankles and locked. Tim watched helplessly from the chair as his friends got tied up. He wanted to do something; in fact, he _needed_ to do something. He wasn't about to let the people he's known for years get hurt. He was a federal agent god dammit!

"Leave them alone; I'll do anything you want. J-Just leave them alone."

Without a word, Marcus went over and punched Tim in cheek, sending him toppling to the floor. "Shut up or they'll be another bullet in your body…this time you won't be alive long enough to feel the pain." He kicked Tim in the stomach, eliciting a wheezing cough from the younger man.

"Marcus, that's enough! We may need him for something."

Marcus grumbled but stepped away from McGee, leaving him gasping on the floor.

"Now, what happened to Lt. Roth?"

Ducky pursed his lips; if they were gonna have any chance of getting out of this alive, he might as well give his captors what they want. "He allegedly killed himself."

"With drain cleaner," Palmer added.

"And before that; he looked beat up. Was he in a fight?"

"Well I can't say with any certainty; I was kidnapped before I could conduct my autopsy," Ducky in an irritated tone.

Anna rolled her eyes and glanced at Tim who was finally getting his breathing back to normal.

"Did he have anything on him when you found him?" Marcus growled.

"No, not that I am aware."

"No, he wouldn't have had it with him; not if he decided to kill himself." Anna bit her lip in thought while removing her jacket. "Marcus, go back and search the area; Lincoln, bring the body in." She turned to Ducky and smiled. "You can conduct your autopsy…here."

Ducky looked at the picnic table and sighed. "I beg your pardon?"

Anna walked over to tend to the wood stove. "I dead body can still speak."

"So I've noticed," Ducky glanced worriedly at Jimmy and then at Tim whose eyes were closed tightly. His face was void off all color and his breathing was ragged…shock was starting to set in.

"I have to find out what happened to Lt. Roth and you are my best shot."

"And if I refuse?"

"I'll put your dying friend out of his misery."

Tim's eyes snapped open in fear as he heard this and took notice of his surroundings once more. He kind of zoned out earlier, trying to focus on keeping his breakfast down.

"Fine; I'll need some things from the van. But anything I find won't be useful to anybody if we all die from airborne corpse pathogens."

Anna glared at Ducky, but he could see a flash of fear pass through her dark brown eyes.

"A dead body can be deadly."

~+NCIS+~

Abby immediately went into overdrive as soon as he told her the situation…and then she nearly full on panicked when _all_ three of their friend's phones were shut off and batteries removed.

"Gibbs, Timmy would never take the battery out of his phone, why did he take the battery out of his phone? Why would _any_ of them do that?"

"I don't know, Abs."

"What if something really bad happened? What if they're hurt? What if-"

"Abby, we'll find them, I promise. We'll bring them home, but I need you to focus. Since their phones are a bust, is there any other way to see where they might be?"

Abby took a deep breath and exhaled shakily. Gibbs was right; if she wanted her friends back safe and sound, she needed to get her head on straight. "Well, there are the emergency cameras on the roads, but I need to know where they were last…maybe Gus has heard something? Maybe they just got a flat tire or something and called him."

"Trace Ducky's and Palmer's last call."

Abby pressed a few button before the computer beeped. "Nothing from Ducky, but Jimmy's call was to Gus; looks like they were on Veteran's Memorial Highway heading west of Foxhall. They were heading north before he made the call."

"Alright, send the traffic cams to the bullpen; I'll have Ziva talk to Gus."

Abby nodded sadly before Gibbs kissed her temple. "I'm gonna bring them home, Abs."

With that, Gibbs turned to leave the room and Abby turned back to her screen to get to work. Screw the case, Tim, Ducky, and Jimmy could be in danger and she didn't want to think of other possibilities as to why they were missing.

"Please be okay."

Gibbs stormed into the bullpen, sheer determination on his face. No matter how dedicated he was to finding a killer and a 'why' to this case, his team was more important and he was gonna get them back.

"Geez, McGeek is really scared to face me if he's still not up here," Tony joked. "But no matter how long he stays down in autopsy-"

"Can it, DiNozzo; Ziva called Gus from the motor pool and asked why Jimmy called."

Ziva frowned. "Why, what is wrong?"

"Don't ask, just do it."

Without another word, Ziva picked up the phone and dialed the number. DiNozzo got up from his seat and went to stand by Gibbs who was standing in front of the TV waiting for something.

"Boss, what's up?" Something was wrong and it couldn't be about the case.

Ziva hung up the phone and joined Tony. "Gus said Jimmy called an hour and a half after we left the crime scene; something about a flat tire. Gus was gonna go out there, but Jimmy said he fixed it himself. What is going on? Is Ducky and Jimmy alright?"

"We can't get ahold of them."

"Can you track-" Tony began.

"Phones are turned off and the batteries are removed."

Tony swallowed thickly as his heart beat faster. McGee was missing…and why was that? He had scared the agent into taking a different ride.

Ziva frowned. "Wait, if Ducky and Jimmy are not here, that means-"

"Yeah McGee's gone, too," Gibbs said in an irritated tone.

Ziva glanced at Tony who was now sitting at his desk, staring into space and looking sick.

"Tony, you have looked like you have seen a goat."

"It's ghost, Ziva," Gibbs said and looked at DiNozzo. Ziva was right though; his agent's face was pale and he looked a million miles away. "Tony." He walked over to the man and gently head-slapped him. "DiNozzo, snap out of it."

"Boss, this is my fault."

"You gave the van a flat tire?"

"No, but-"

"Then get to work; find out what Roth was into."

Tony nodded silently. He couldn't help feel that it was his fault Tim was with Ducky instead of here. He had a very strange gut feeling that something other than a flat tire had happened. And though he was thankful Tim was there to protect the autopsy workers, the search would be five times faster if they had their geek…and if McGee got hurt, then it was _definitely_ his fault.

~+NCIS+~

Tim retched for the third time from the putrid stench of open, rotting corpse. If it had been any other day- a day that he didn't have a gunshot wound in his side- it wouldn't have been a problem, but he had already felt sick and the smell was just making it worse. Ducky rubbed Tim's back while wiping the young man's mouth with a cloth he managed to persuade Anna to get for them. He had Jimmy do the autopsy so he could keep Tim from falling asleep; the amount of blood the young agent was losing was dangerous. The only good thing was that the blood flow was slowing down and he was able to press a cloth to the wound without it soaking up in twenty seconds.

Ducky noticed that their kidnappers were having a hard time with the disgusting odor and he decided to use that against them. If they wanted to get out, he was gonna have to think like an agent.

"Uh, Mr. Palmer, could you check the contents of the stomach; the lad might've swallowed whatever it is that they are looking for."

Jimmy glanced at the doctor and nodded as he took out the stomach and sliced it open, ooze spilling out into a bowl. Groans of protest elicited from the kidnappers, but Ducky felt Tim's body heave again. _Poor boy._

"Okay, okay, I got it!" Anna said with a disgusted scowl. "Keep an eye on them, Lincoln."

"Do you mind if I do it from outside?"

"Fine, it's not like they're going anywhere." With that, all three people left the cabin and now it was only Ducky, Jimmy, and McGee.

"Finally; Timothy, are you alright?"

"N-Never better, D-Ducky."

The doctor placed a hand on Tim's forehead and clucked in disapproval. "Hmm, the fever seems to be getting worse.

"Was that on purpose, Doctor Mallard?" Jimmy said, placing the bowl down.

"Yes, we need to talk."

"About?"

"About what we're gonna do. They're gonna kill us when we're done."

Jimmy let out a shaky breath and looked down at the floor. "I-I know, I know, I've been trying not to think about it. What can we do?"

Ducky hesitated in thought, patting Tim's face as the man drifted off for the fifth time in an hour. "S-Sorry Ducky."

"It's quite alright, lad." Ducky turned back to Jimmy and continued their conversation. "We go on the offense."

"On the offense? With what? Duck, we're chained to the floor, they have guns, we don't have much in the weapons department."

"W-We have something b-better than a weapon," Tim spoke up shakily as he blinked and straightened himself up against the wall.

"What?" Ducky and Jimmy said in unison.

"We h-have the body…and I t-think I have an idea."

~+NCIS+~

Tony and Ziva exited the elevator quietly with pale faces. Tony felt like shit, the feeling of dread grew twice as big, because of what they saw at the last place the van was.

"Did you find the ME van?" Gibbs asked without looking away from the flat screen. When he received no answer, he turned around and was met with blank faces.

"Hey."

"Um, no we did not find it, Gibbs," Ziva whispered. "But we found a flat tire on a shoulder of the highway where they stopped…it was not a blow out, the tire was _shot_ out."

Tony pressed the clicker and brought the pictures up onto the flat screen. And there was one particular picture that neither he nor Ziva wanted to see again, but Gibbs needed to.

"There were other footprints besides Ducky, Tim's, and Jimmy's as well as different tire tracks. Somebody else was there and most likely forced to drive under duress…we also found Tim's gun stashed away in the bushes and…"

"We found blood, too, Gibbs," Ziva finished for Tony. "Abby is processing it now, but we know that someone is injured and McGee does not have his gun."

"Dammit." Gibbs gut churned again; he had a feeling that injured person might be his youngest agent.

So did Tony; it was the only rational explanation. And thankfully they didn't find a body, so McGee had to be alive, right? The kid had to be shot only to be weakened so he couldn't over power the kidnappers.

"We also found that Lt. Roth had a huge offshore bank account," Tony said, finding his voice again. "As a navy officer, that's violating at least seven laws…but he isn't a navy officer. I pulled everything I could find on our guy and I found his high school library card. His signatures are different."

"Lt. Roth is not Lt. Roth," Gibbs said.

"Gibbs?" a voice said.

"Abby, what did you find."

"It was McGee's blood."

Gibbs closed his eyes and Tony swore in frustration. McGee was injured all because he was angry at the kid about stupid tickets. He wouldn't blame Tim if he hated him.

"I also ran facial recognition- they don't match…and he's been using his CO's access code to download some serious classified material at least once a month."

"He's got to be a mole," Tony said quietly, looking at the screen. "His bank account is filled with Cuban cash."

"And the real Roth is probably dead," Ziva added.

"You're gonna find them, right Gibbs?" Abby sniffed. "Tim can't die."

"Tim is not gonna die and damn right we're gonna find them, I promise."

~+NCIS+~

Fifteen minutes later, Jimmy and Ducky used gastric acid to burn through the locks of their leg irons while Tim had connected the microphone from the hearing aid, they found with Roth, to the earpiece. Now they had a way to secretly listen in on what their kidnappers were up to. They had a chance of escaping if they did this whole thing right. But Tim wasn't feeling that _he'd _make it out; he'd actually rather just stay behind so he wouldn't slow the two able bodied men down. He was dying anyways, he wasn't about to let that happen to his friends. Another painful tremor ran through his body as he coughed and shakily wiped his face.

"H-Here Ducky, the microphone is done."

"Thank you, lad. Don't you worry; we will get out of here."

Tim smiled forcefully, but didn't exactly believe the doctor's words. Ducky went over to the phone line in the wall that would lead outside, sticking the wire through. And while Jimmy was working with the body, the room was silent as the older tried to make out what was being said.

"What are they saying, doctor?" Jimmy whispered.

"They're complaining about the smell."

Jimmy nodded and turned on the fan so that the fumes would float towards the door and outside. That would keep them out.

"Now, they're talking about Lt. Roth. He was supposed to deliver a package to our captors…and whoever shot him, they have it."

"I wonder what w-was in t-that," Tim whispered hoarsely. He needed water, but they needed to focus on actually getting out of here first.

"I wonder if Agent Gibbs even realizes that were missing yet," Jimmy said, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "Not that it matters, he is never going to find us."

"Mr. Palmer, you can be certain of one thing; it is that Agent Gibbs…"

Ducky stopped and both younger men frowned. Tim pushed himself up and leaned forward.

"What is it, Ducky?"

"They're talking about us."

"Great," Jimmy paced.

"Anna is talking about burying Lt. Roth once we're done with them."

"That doesn't sound bad."

"Apparently we are to join them."

A heartbeat's second. "That's bad."

"If we're gonna make a move, it better be soon, Mr. Palmer. Now, come on; let's move Timothy closer to the door." Carefully, Jimmy and Ducky lifted Tim by the arms and walked him over to stool by the door.

"Easy, easy; Timothy are you gonna be okay?"

Tim opened his eyes that were previously squeezed shut as he walked. The pain was getting intense, he was having a hard time breathing, and he was worrying about what the bullet actually hit and if it was still in his body. "Y-Yeah, I'm ready for this…um, in case this plan doesn't work, it's been a pleasure working with both of you."

"Likewise Timothy. And you are right, if this doesn't work, Jimmy I'm glad we knew each other."

"You too- the both of you." They all held hands with a gentle squeeze before letting go.

"Alright Jimmy, remember where you need to be, because your life will depend upon it. I assume we have less than two minutes before show time."

Tim realized that this was dumb; he should be the one protecting them, not the other way around. "G-Guys, I can't let you d-do this. What if you get killed? Gibbs will head-slap me into next year."

"Timothy, do not worry about us, it's you that's the major concern. If we do not get out of here and get you help, you will die of blood loss."

McGee bit his lip and let out a shuddering sigh. He really wanted to help, but right now he was useless.

"You've done all that you can; you made the microphone and you gave us this brilliant idea. Let us do the rest Timothy and we will be back at NCIS in no time."

"Okay…if you…if you say so."

"Good."

Tim rested his head against the wall, trying to keep himself awake. The kidnappers came in and the two autopsy workers began what they'd rehearsed. It all kind of went by in a blur; it felt like he only shut his eyes for a few seconds when a huge explosion echoed in his ears. Smoke entered his nose causing him to cough, but open his eyes and become alert. Were Ducky and Jimmy okay? Had the plan worked or was it a bust? Before he could actually sit up and see for himself, his arms were grabbed and he was breathing in fresh air.

"I can't believe that worked," Jimmy breathed as he and Ducky wrapped each of Tim's arms around their shoulders.

"Yes well they will soon notice are absence, so let's put as much distance from them as possible."

"Absolutely, doctor."

"Are you still with us, Timothy?"

"S-Still…here," McGee panted although he was having a hard time keeping his feet underneath him, so he was practically being dragged through the woods. It seemed like forever that they were running and soon McGee was gasping for air, becoming exhausted. He couldn't keep his feet underneath him any longer and his vision was starting to blur.

"S-Stop….stop…I c-can't breathe…n-need to stop."

"Alright, we will take a break, but we need to get moving soon. Who knows where they are in these woods." Ducky breathed as he set McGee down on a rock. Jimmy sat down next to him and panted harshly. He was glad McGee asked to stop; he could barely breathe as well…he also wondered if Ducky had been hitting a gym, because they'd been going pretty fast.

"Listen, our…our c-captors probably know we'll be heading…f-for the highway," McGee gasped. "I think…I think we can use the moon to our advantage; flashlights will just g-give us a-away."

"Stealth, that's a good idea, lad. Are you ready to go again?"

"G-Guess we…we have to…on second thought, I-I'm dragging you guys b-behind. J-Just leave m-me and g-get help...just go."

"We most certainly will not leave you, Timothy. You are in no condition to be out here by yourself and no protection."

"Ducky's right, McGee, we need to stick together if we want to survive this."

Tim nodded, though he was really slowing them down, he agreed. Taking a deep breath, he let Ducky and Jimmy pick him back up and started their trek once again. Barely three minutes in, a gunshot rung out through the air causing them to stop and listen.

"What was that?" Jimmy asked in surprise.

Ducky looked around. "Presumably, our captors."

Two more shots rang out making all of them flinch. "We need a new plan." They placed McGee on another rock so they could think.

"Well you told me that Gibbs would find the cabin," Jimmy pointed.

"Undoubtedly, and we can assume that they'll find the message that we left, but we can't assume that he's gonna find it in time."

"Well, then it's a good thing I grabbed this." Jimmy pulled out a gun by the trigger protector causing Ducky to gasp. Tim looked up with wide and confused eyes.

"W-where did you get that?"

"One of them had dropped it in the blast."

Jimmy and Ducky looked at each other with agreement on their faces. They had another plan and it would determine if they lived or died.

"C-Can you even sh-shoot a gun, Jimmy."

"No…well I did, but only on black ops."

"It's sort of…the s-same. Just aim and…pull the trigger."

"W-What? You want me to use this?"

"I sure as hell can't…I can barely stand and I might end up…shooting myself in the foot."

Jimmy swallowed nervously. Besides using an Xbox controller-which definitely did not qualify as a gun- he'd never shot a weapon. And he and their friend's lives depended on him getting a good shot. "Okay…okay, I can do this. Doctor Mallard, what's the plan?"

"I'm not sure yet, let's keep walking and it'll come to me."

Jimmy nodded as he stashed away the gun and they grabbed Tim again. He was able to put a little more weight on his feet now that he was feeling clear-headed; he really didn't want to slow them all down by being dragged.

"I haven't heard anything for a while," breathed Palmer. "Maybe they left."

"O-Or maybe they also chose s-stealth; they…they c-could be anywhere," Tim huffed.

"Oh my god!" Jimmy whispered loudly causing them all to stop, their hearts beating wildly against their chest.

"What is it, Mr. Palmer?"

"I just realized that I missed my 9-month wedding anniversary; Breena's gonna kill me."

Tim rolled his eyes and they continued walking. "A-Are you ser-serious? I think we…have other things t-to worry about."

All of a sudden, Tim grunted and the three stumbled. "Ah!"

"Are you alright, Timothy?" Ducky looked down at the ground and saw that Tim's ankle was bent against an elevated rock.

"Y-Yeah…I fine." But his gasps of pain went against him as he tried walking again. Just what he needed; a twisted ankle.

"No, no, no; crap, not the ankle," Jimmy whined. "It's always the ankle."

"Yes, it's always the ankle," Ducky repeated.

For the third time during their walk, they sat Tim on a rock and Ducky joined him.

"Now would be a good time for a plan, doctor."

As Ducky and Jimmy talked, Tim tried his best to stop himself from passing out…but it was difficult. He was starting to feel cold and dizzy; he had to blink his eyes to stop his vision from doubling. Before he knew it, he felt himself listing to the side, slipping off the rock.

"McGee!" he heard Jimmy exclaim and then strong hands caught him, lowering him to the ground.

"Timothy…Timothy, can you hear me?" Ducky's voice echoed. "I was afraid this was gonna happen…I knew it was going to happen, but I was hoping it wouldn't be out here. The first signs of hypovolemic shock. Timothy." Ducky pat Tim's face gently. Thankfully, he was rewarded with the young man blinking his eyes open and looking around in confusion.

"D-Ducky?"

"Are you with us, dear boy?"

"Y-Yeah…just feeling…feeling a bit dizzy."

"Just hold on for a bit longer; we're almost there."

Tim nodded jerkily as he swallowed. "D-Did you figure out w-what we're gonna d-do?"

"Yes, but you are in no shape to participate."

"But Ducky-"

"'But Ducky' nothing; if you do anything, it could result in getting you killed…and not from the captor finding us."

Tim held his tongue and sighed. He wanted to help, he wanted to keep his friends safe, but Ducky was right, he wasn't in good condition to do much of anything. Another gun shot rang out in the quiet of the night, causing them all to go still. It started to snow and Ducky looked over at his injured friend in worry. It was bad enough the kid was shivering from oncoming shock; he didn't need to add the freezing cold.

He shed his jacket and wrapped it around the shivering man. "Here, lad, take my coat."

"Ducky, I-"

"No arguments; you're already going into shock." Ducky turned to Jimmy. "Alright, are you ready?"

"Not really, but it's worth a shot."

"Okay Timothy, I'm gonna move you underneath this tree. If this works, I will be back for you; if it doesn't…"

"Y-Yeah, I know Ducky." They squeezed hands together while they made brief eye contact before Ducky patted Tim's face. "Stay awake."

"Will do, Ducky." Tim watched as Jimmy and Ducky left the area, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Snow fell onto his eyelashes and he took in a deep breath; he prayed that nothing bad would happen to Ducky and Jimmy…and he just wished they left him behind earlier so they could've gotten away faster and further. He groaned in pain, feeling agitated; he wanted to do something, but right now he could barely move his arms. He was so cold. Tim closed his eyes for a brief moment, hoping that it wouldn't be the last time he closed them. He barely had time to drift off when he heard screaming and a bunch of gunshots. His heart leapt into his throat as his eyes snapped open.

"Oh god." His gut was telling him that it was over; for Ducky, Jimmy, and himself. He was gonna die from shock and the two autopsy workers were probably already dead. He felt a tear roll down his cheek as he leaned his head back against the tree trunk. He was so screwed; might as well die now than from another gunshot wound once the black guy found him. _I'm a failure as a federal agent; I'm so sorry._

**TBC…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Click. Click. Click. Click.

"You can stop shooting Mr. Palmer."

"Oh my god, I got him!"

Ducky chuckled breathlessly.

"I got him."

They both looked at the motionless captor on the ground. Jimmy couldn't believe he had actually used a real gun…he couldn't believe he just _killed_ somebody. He almost felt like crying.

"Mr. Palmer?"

"I-I thought I'd feel relieved, but this feels much, much worse…I've n-never…I've never…"

They suddenly heard groaning and they looked over just in time to see Lincoln raise from the ground, looking more pissed than ever. "And you still haven't."

"Run, Mr. Palmer while you can!"

"No, I'm not leaving you. Just like you told McGee, we need to stick together…to the end…I just…I thought I got him."

Lincoln limped closer to them, the gun raised and aimed, ready to kill. They closed their eyes and waited for the gunshot and the instant oblivion. And then…

"NCIS, hands up!"

"Don't move!"

Opening their eyes, they saw that Tony, Ziva, and Gibbs had surrounded the area, guns aimed at Lincoln. They had survived! But what about Tim?

"Drop it!" Ziva yelled.

"Okay, okay." The captor placed the weapon on the ground and surrendered. Tony came up behind him and tightly wrapped the cuffs around the man's wrist.

"You two okay?"

"We've certainly been cleaner."

Tony looked around and realized someone was missing. Dread filled his chest and he asked the question he didn't know he wanted the answer to.

"Where's Tim?"

Ducky gasped. "Jethro, Timothy's been severely injured; we need to go get him to a hospital now."

"How bad, Duck?" Gibbs sighed. He was afraid of this the moment they knew it was Tim's blood on that pavement.

"He was shot."

"Son of a bitch," Tony growled. He wanted to beat the cuffed guy senseless. No one was allowed to hurt his friend…his little brother. "Where is he?"

"Right this way…he was going into hypovolemic shock; let's just pray he hasn't given up."

"He better not have or he'll have me to answer to," Gibbs stated. "Ziva, take Palmer and the suspect back to where the van is and put the suspect in custody back at the Yard, then you can meet us at the hospital."

"On it, Gibbs."

The three disappeared one way while Gibbs, Ducky, and Tony went back to find Tim.

"Oh Jethro, there is another one still out there, but I know where she's heading."

"I'll call Balboa to finish up the case."

"Of course, we need to be with Timothy right now."

When Gibbs caught sight of his youngest agent, his heart broke and he ran up to the man. He shone his flashlight in Tim's extremely pale face, seeing that the man's eyes were closed and his body deathly still. Dark shadows underlined the man's eyes and once he moved the light down, he caught sight of the dark patch on Tim's shirt.

"Ah hell…McGee? Tim, can you hear me?" Gibbs pressed a finger to Tim's neck and thankfully there was a pulse…it was way too fast, but at least he was alive. "Tim!"

McGee's right eye cracked open, squinting at the harsh light that burned his retinas. He was gonna die; Lincoln had found him. The light moved out of his face and he was shocked, yet relieved to see Gibbs squatting in front of him.

"B-Boss?"

Gibbs cursed inwardly at his agent's weak voice. "Yeah, I'm right here, Tim. How're you doing?"

Tim coughed and shivered even with Ducky's jacket. He blinked and looked around.

"Where am I? I-Is Ducky…Jimmy…?"

"Right here, lad and Jimmy is with Ziva," Ducky said moving into Tim's line of vision, his voice laced with worry. "Jethro, we need to get him out of here now."

"Working on it Ducky." Suddenly, Tim's eyes began to roll to the back of his head while his head tipped to the side. "Hey McGee, eyes open."

"S-S'rry b'ss."

"You're gonna be okay, just stay with me."

Tony stood behind his boss, mentally slapping himself harshly. This was his fault; Tim was never gonna forgive him. Why did he make such a big deal about concert tickets? He had money and it wasn't like he did things anymore. It was like Tim's book all over again; why hadn't he learned…and his selfishness and anger had caused Tim to get hurt.

"DiNozzo, pay attention!"

He shook out of his thoughts and saw Gibbs looking at him heatedly. Next to him, Tim was barely able to keep his eyes open; they were losing him. Gibbs wrapped one of Tim's arms around his shoulder and gestured Tony to come over.

"Grab his other arm, Ducky said his ankle is possibly sprained. We need to drive him to the hospital since there's no reception out here."

Nodding silently, Tony went over to Tim's blood covered side and wrapped the man's left arm around his shoulder. He grimaced in sympathy as McGee weakly groaned when his wound was touched.

"Sorry buddy; we're gonna get you out of here…I promise."

McGee grunted in response as he let the two older men carry him out of the dreaded woods that he thought he'd spend his last hours in. He didn't know how much time went by, but they'd finally reached the agency car, Tim out of breath when he wasn't even the one walking.

"Lay him down in the back and I'll get in after," Ducky said.

"Ducky…can I…can I go in instead?"

Gibbs got to the driver's side. "DiNozzo-"

"Boss please."

"Fine, if it's okay will Duck."

"I certainly don't mind; just keep him awake."

"What about the gunshot wound?"

"It already stopped bleeding."

Once they were in the car, Gibbs started the engine and got out of there as fast as he could.

"That's a good thing, right?" Tony asked as he laid Tim's head on his thigh.

"Not at all; he's already lost a lot. In fact I'm surprised his heart hasn't stopped already."

"It doesn't have permission to; and Tim doesn't have permission to die," Gibbs stated before picking up his cell and dialing Balboa. This woman, Ducky mentioned, had to be caught even though he could care less about the case right now.

Tony swallowed nervously as he looked down at his unusually pale friend and down to the red soaked shirt.

"Oh god," he whispered. There was so much blood; _too much_ blood. Ducky was right, he was surprised Tim didn't…he couldn't even say the word. The thought of his best friend dying made him sick.

"I'm so sorry, Tim."

Tim's eyes slid up to meet Tony's. "N-Not your…f-fault, Tony."

"Of course it's my fault, McGeek; if I hadn't made such a big deal about the tickets, you would've ridden back with Ziva and me."

"T-Than Ducky…or Jimmy…would've been s-shot."

"No, they didn't have a gun like you; the kidnappers wouldn't have seen Ducky or, especially, Jimmy as a threat; no offense Ducky."

"None taken, Anthony," the old doctor chuckled. "How's he doing?"

Tim tensed up a little as the car hit a bump and the pain- as dull as it was; was that a bad thing?- coursed through his body. He tried to keep his breathing in control, but it was difficult. Tony placed a hand on Tim's clammy forehead to try and ease the kid's discomfort, feeling worse than ever.

"Not good, Duck."

"We'll be at the hospital soon."

Tony looked back down at McGee and his heart jumped into his throat. Tim's eyes were closing and if he didn't keep the man awake, it could be the last time Tim closed his eyes…forever. He roughly patted his cheek and Tim's eyes blinked open.

"Come on man, you gotta stay awake."

"I…can't…Tony. S-So tired."

"I know, but just wait a little while longer. Talk to me."

"'B-bout what?"

"I don't know…talk to Gabriella lately?"

"H-Haven't we gone over this already?" Tim rolled his eyes but the corner of his mouth twitched upwards. "F-Flirting is a weapon in our-"

"Our arsenal, I know; but she seemed really into you…_Timmy._"

"Maxine s-seemed…really into me and…look how that…t-turned out."

"You just have to find the right one, McGee; she's out there…or maybe she's down in a certain lab."

"S-Shut it…T-Tony."

"Alright, alright."

"C-Can we stop talking now, Tony? T-t'red."

"No, McGee. You know what Ducky said."

"I d-don't care." Suddenly, Tim's eyes closed and his head fell limp to the side.

"Tim?" His breath caught in his throat as his panic started to rise. He shook Tim's shoulders and slapped the man's face, but it did nothing. "No, no, no, Tim! Ducky, he won't wake up."

"Oh dear." The older man turned around in his seat and looked at the unresponsive agent. "Did you check to see if he is breathing?"

No he hadn't; he had been in such a panic, he completely forgot. Shakily, he pressed a finger to Tim's neck and waited.

"It's slow, Ducky."

"Jethro how close are we to the hospital?"

"Give me two minutes."

"Come on, Tim, don't do this." He couldn't lose his brother; he just couldn't.

Tony put his ear down to Tim's mouth to make sure he was still breathing. And just when they arrived in the hospital, he sat up with fearful eyes.

"He's not breathing!"

~+NCIS+~

Tony ran his hand through his hair and down his face, staring down at the white, pristine floor. Tim had fucking almost _died_ in his arms; he watched his partner take his last breath and he never got to say half the things he thought about the man…no he wasn't having _those_ feelings, but he really cared about Tim; they were brothers from another mother. Gibbs had left to go get coffee, Ducky went with Tim and now all he had to wait for was Abby, Ziva, and Jimmy.

"No, no, no, no, no; this can't be happening."

And speaking of…Tony looked up and saw Abby heading towards him with the Israeli and the autopsy gremlin in tow.

"Tony, please tell me it's not true!" Abby cried. "Please tell me he wasn't shot."

The Italian man stood up and hugged the Goth tightly; they both loved Tim in different ways and they wouldn't be able to bear losing him…same thing with Kate.

"I'm so sorry, Abs."

Abby began sobbing into his shoulder, giving the older man her famous bone-crushing hugs.

"A-Abby, I can't breathe."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Ziva placed a hand on Abby's shoulder and lead her to a chair before turning to DiNozzo with wet eyes. "How is he? Is he…alive?"

Tony pressed his eyes and sighed. "I don't- I don't know." He glanced at Abby and then pushed Ziva to the far corner out of earshot. "He stopped breathing, Z. He nearly _died_ in my-" He couldn't finish.

"We cannot tell Abby that. She will be hysterical."

"I know, I know."

"Where is Gibbs?"

"He went to go get coffee an hour ago; haven't seen him since."

"How is _he_?"

Tony just raised his eyebrows, wiping his mouth. They went back to go sit down and Gibbs finally arrived only to be tackled by a crying Abby.

"Please tell me he'll be okay, Gibbs."

"Abby, he'll be fine; he doesn't have permission to die."

"But what if that's not good enough?!"

"Tim's a fighter, Abs. He won't give up that easy."

All of a sudden, the double doors opened revealing Ducky and a taller man in blue scrubs. They both looked worn out- Ducky looking ten years older and it was saying that it had been really close…or it had been really bad.

"Duck?" Gibbs went up to the older man. "What's the deal?"

"I'll let Dr. Michaels explain Timothy's condition to you."

Gibbs shook hands with Tim's doctor before they all sat down. "Well?"

"When Tim came in, he wasn't breathing and he was unresponsive. We had to intubate him for a while when he was in surgery, but as of right now, he's able to breathe on his own."

They all sighed in relief, but knew there was more.

"Now for the gunshot wound; it was through and through, nicked the rib and hit spleen which is why he bled so much. He lost over half of his body's blood and I'm surprised he made it this far. We had to remove his spleen and we are currently giving him blood intravenously along with dopamine, epinephrine, dobutamine, and norepinephrine. The main goal is to retain his body's fluids and so far it's working."

"So he's gonna live?" Abby sniffed.

Dr. Michael smiled warmly. "Yes, he's gonna live; we'll keep him here for the next few days just to be sure, but once he's clear he can leave."

It had been really close; they had been so close to losing another agent- another family member. And Tony knew it was his own fault Tim ended up here; he just hoped the man would forgive him. It would suck to work with a person who had a grudge against you…and it was bad for the job.

"Can we see him?" He asked quietly.

"Once we get him settled in in his room, I'll have a nurse come and bring you to him. I'm not gonna lie to you though, since he lost a lot of blood, he's going to be weak and look small and sick. He probably won't wake up until tomorrow afternoon. But he's recovering nicely; Tim is very lucky."

Yes, Tim was very lucky indeed.

~+NCIS+~

"God Tim, I'm so sorry."

Tony looked down at his younger friend in sadness and guilt. McGee was so pale and so small; dark circles underlined his eyes, making them appear sunken in. A nasal cannula ran underneath Tim's nose and behind his ears, giving him the oxygen his lungs had lost. Tony stood over McGee and watched as the man's chest rose and fell steadily. He was alone with the man and that gave him time to think. Gibbs had persuaded Abby to go home to get some rest and that she'd be able to come back tomorrow when Tim awoke. Ducky and Jimmy had been checked and cleared for injuries and were probably home by now. Gibbs was somewhere in the hospital, doing whatever and Ziva had went with Abby to keep her company. Tony sat down with a heavy sigh as he ran his hand through his hair for the fifth time. He absolutely hated himself right now…and he also didn't know what to say besides 'I'm sorry.'

So instead, he just sat back in his chair and closed his eyes for a brief second. This was all so much to take in; and he was the senior agent for god sake, he was supposed to have his Probie's six. Not that Tim was a Probie anymore; the kid had proved himself an outstanding agent within the past nine years and he was proud of him. A smile played at his lips as he rubbed his mouth. Just before he started to drift off, he heard a soft groan that made him alert. Was Tim waking up even though the doctor said it wouldn't be for a while? Tony snapped his eyes open and looked at the bed to see Tim shifting around under the covers. His eyes were rolling underneath his closed lids and his heart rate was increasing

"McGee?"

Tim groaned, his brow furrowing in discomfort as he started to become agitated.

"Hey, hey, easy buddy. It's alright, you're safe." He placed a hand on Tim's forehead like he had done in the car earlier. Thankfully, it had calmed him and Tim settled back down against the pillows, the pain lines receding, and his breathing deepening. Unfortunately, Tony had been hoping the man would wake up but it'd be a long shot until late tomorrow. Sighing heavily, he stood up for the door; it was going to be a long night and he didn't plan on going anywhere until he knew his friend was okay. He needed a coffee…a strong one.

"T-Tony?"

He hadn't even reached the doorknob when a weak voice rang out. Turning around, he smiled his trademark smile as he went back to sit down. Even though Tim's green eyes were dull and tired looking along with a pale face, he looked better. "Hey buddy, how're you feeling?"

Tim shrugged. "What happened? It feels like I have a freakin' hangover."

"Yeah you drank so much, you stripped and started dancing on your car," joked Tony.

McGee's eyes went wide, believing what the older man was saying.

"I'm kidding…you seriously don't remember what happened?"

"I don't think…wait, a-are Ducky-"

"Ducky and Jimmy are fine; you're the one who got shot."

Now it was all coming back to him. He and the two autopsy dwellers had been kidnapped, but came up with a plan and escaped. "The last…the last thing I really remember is a huge explosion in that cabin I was in. Anything after that is a complete blank."

"Well, we caught the guys; turns out Roth wasn't really a Naval Officer and that Roth isn't actually his real name. He killed the real guy and took his place."

"Really? Wow, I missed a lot."

Tony remained quiet and looked down at the floor, causing Tim to frown and sit up straighter. "What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just…if I hadn't been so angry about the tickets then you wouldn't have gone with Ducky and _this_ wouldn't have happened."

"Tony-"

"And don't say that if it wasn't you it would've been Ducky or Jimmy. You had the gun; they had to take you out. Maybe-"

"'Maybe' nothing Tony," McGee relaxed against the pillows, but looked DiNozzo in the eye with a serious expression on his face. "I don't blame you; if anyone is to blame, it's me, because I should've sucked it up and dealt with the consequences."

"No, you shouldn't have to be lead to that…and I'm sorry."

Tim sighed. "Even though I never blamed you, I forgive you."

"So we're cool?"

"We always were," Tim grinned and held out his hand. Tony grasped it and they held it there for a few moments before releasing.

"I'm glad you're okay, Tim."

"Me too."

"So…how did you guys outsmart those Cuban idiots?"

**FIN**

** I hoped you like it! It took me forever to write and but feel like it's no good. Let me know! REVIEWS!**


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